


Step into my roda

by drivelings



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, More capoeira than I know what to do with, Really shitty translations because my mestre doesn't care to explain in English, Use of Brazilian Portuguese
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-11 23:30:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15982805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drivelings/pseuds/drivelings
Summary: Lúcio carries the spirit of capoeira in him more than some realize.A series of ficlets based of different songs and teachings of Capoeira (Angola).





	1. Ladainha

“What’s that?”

People are already crowding around Lúcio who stares glassy-eyed at the thing he just received in the mail (from his hometown, it seems)–the box it came in is already dismantled on the floor, forgotten in lieu of the contents: a tall, unassuming stick with a wire which Lúcio has fashioned somehow to resemble a bow, and some other trinkets that seem to have been included. Everyone’s looking curiously at it, but Lúcio doesn’t really seem to hear them, engrossed with putting it together. 

Lúcio inserts the bottom of his ‘bow’ through a loop of rope hanging from the a rounded gourd that could have once been an empty coconut, the string now wrapped around the wire and wood snugly. He slips his pinky underneath the taut string and holds the apparatus, gourd pressed tightly to his stomach. He slips a rounded rock in between his thumb and index fingers, pressing it against the wire. It hardly seems comfortable or practical, but Lúcio's focus never wavers, his smile wide and full of teeth. 

In his other hand, he picks up a thin, reedy dowel and loops his middle and ring fingers through some small woven basket that rattles like a snake. It hushes when the man's hand stills. He seems to prepare himself, poising his hands where they should be. It’s very apparent now that this is no weapon like the one Hanzo wields, but an instrument meant for playing.

And then, with the stick, comes the first strikes-- _don, don, don _\--, the muscles in his arm flexing and suddenly, it became clear to see that this must be where some of it originated from.__

____

It makes a strange sound–a  _buzz, buzz_  that quiets the room, and a much deeper and more open  _don_ , and then a tinny  _tim_. Three different sounds that seems impossible with the rustic looking instrument, but Lúcio seems to have no issue coaxing more sounds like a distant wobbling sound made by moving the instrument (and hence, the gourd) to and from his stomach area, the noise echoing strangely. 

____

He breathes in– _buzz, buzz_ –“Iê!” His shout, so powerful, stuns everyone into silence and anticipation, the tension vibrating in the air with each strike of his stick against the string of his bowed instrument.

____

“ _Eu vou ler o beabá, eu vou ler o beabá, o beabá do berimbau. A cabaça e o caxixi. E um pedaço de pau. A moeda e o arame. Está aí um berimbau_.”

____

He carries on like this, more of a chant than an actual lyrical song–ancient yet still grasping everyone by the shoulders, urging them to listen. Lúcio’s voice is explosive and all-encompassing, drowning the room in smooth alto that may be just a hint out-of-tune. No one dares speak, engrossed by the way he moves the instrument, manipulating it to produce sounds beyond a feeble twang and reverberates into their very bones.

____

“ _Iê viva meu Mestra, camará. Iê viva meu Deus_!”

____

Lúcio cuts himself off, the moment’s pause stunning the air, making it difficult for the people in the room to move or even draw breath–waiting, anticipating. Dramatically, he raises the stick and gives the wire a few large sweeping strikes– _don, don, don_ –as though to call everyone’s attention and the music changes completely. 

____

Faster. 

____

Livelier.

____

He opens his mouth again, and this time, he  _sings_  at the top of his lungs, eyes squeezed shut.

____

“ _Meu berimbau, faz tim tim don don, alegra minha alma, mente e o coração_!”

____

\-- _My berimbau goes 'tim tim, don don,' joy, my soul, mind, and heart_ \--

____

No longer is the tension or solemnness from the previous song there, the atmosphere torn apart by the sheer brightness of this new piece like a bolt of lightning from the heavens that pierces the room in response, his passion spilling straight from his core and into everyone who lent an ear to his music. 

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Portuguese is no good, so if there are any mistakes, please do let me know.
> 
> Most of the songs and references here will be Capoeira Angola because I am not very familiar with Regional.


	2. Tico-tico

Watching the Shimada brothers train is nothing less than watching a performance and a test of just how good your eyes actually are. Did Hanzo get in two strikes or just one? Was Genji actually hit or did he go with the motion? Athena usually tallies these statistics up for all to know and to facilitate the constant exchange of favors, money, and further bets. 

Casual bets are commonplace; they make for good motivators. Handicaps and challenges are also given out occasionally just to ‘spice things up’.

“How about you guys try to fight for this?”

Lúcio holds up a nearly folded handkerchief with a grin.

“What do you plan with that?” asks Genji, amused. Hanzo does not look interested. He will be soon.

“So, back at home, we’d play this game where this”--he waves the fabric--“gets put in the middle of a circle and two people try to fight for it. Whoever gets it wins, easy, right?”

“Hm. What do we get if we win?” Hanzo tries his best to sound disinterested, but Lúcio knows better.

The DJ shrugs. “VIP tickets to my next concert?”

Genji laughs and Hanzo shakes his head. It’s a terrible offer considering how little either of them care for such crowded and boisterous events, but much to Lúcio’s surprise, they accept.

Placing the handkerchief down on the ground between the two, he explains the true objective is to keep it out of the other’s hands (or feet or mouth or anything else that could grip the handkerchief). For the sake of declaring a true winner, whoever hangs onto for more than ten seconds will be considered a winner.

“You two ready?”

“Ready.”

“As I will ever be.”

Lúcio skates back to the sidelines, not willing to get caught between a fight with two ninjas.

“Match will begin in 3, 2, 1…”

Lúcio holds his breath and the tension in the room, despite how wide it is, becomes palpable as the two stare each other down.

“Start!”

Ten seconds may be too long considering how quickly Genji snatches up the folded fabric and tosses himself over Hanzo’s shoulder, waving his fingers in mockery.

Hanzo follows, twists back and yanks Genji’s ribbon. Lúcio winces to see the man’s head snap back, and Hanzo, ever the dirty fighter during spars, uses his mouth to snap the handkerchief out of Genji’s fingers.

“Geez, zero to a hundred, much?”

Hana pops her gum as she comes up behind the DJ. Of all the people on base, she’s one of the few who have no issues following the Shimada brothers’ movements. (Ana, McCree, and Tracer are the only other ones. Maybe Soldier, too, if he has his Tactical Visor activated. The cheat.)

“What’s the deal this time?”

“A game called ‘tico-tico’,” he answers devilishly.

There’s a yell. Hanzo no longer has the handkerchief in his mouth, but he doesn’t have his ribbon either. Genji has both and is fighting to keep them in his possession, flitting around like gravity means nothing to him.

“What’s 'chico chico’?”

Lúcio laughs a little into his fist. “It’s a type of bird. Small. There’s a song that goes with it.”

“Oh?”

Lúcio hums, watching Hanzo miss and Genji ducking under his brother’s outstretched arm. He goes down for a sweep, but Hanzo jumps, leg springs out, and nearly catches Genji in the face. The handkerchief drifts to the ground.

“ _Apanha laranja no chão tico-tico,_ ” he sings.

Genji moves to swipe it midair. He misses. Hanzo goes in.

“ _Se meu amor foi embora eu não fico_.”

Genji twists and blocks his brother’s path, striking his wrist away for the handkerchief and snatches it up.

“ _Apanha laranja no chão tico-tico_.”

Hanzo does not seem amused and uses his weight and contact to flip Genji over. He goes down and Hanzo lashes out to grab the fabrics from his hands, only to be met with a fist to the face. It misses, and again, Hanzo snaps his mouth to try to grab it as both ribbon and handkerchief whips past him.

“ _Não é com mão nem com pe é com bico_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apanha laranja no chão tico-tico (Take the orange from the ground, tico-tico)  
> Se meu amor foi embora eu não fico (If my love goes, I will not stay)  
> Não é com mão nem com pe é com bico (Not with your hand or your feet, but with your beak)
> 
>  
> 
> _Buzz, buzz, don don don don (buzz, buzz), don don don tim (buzz, buzz), tim tim tim tim (buzz, buzz), tim don, tim don._


End file.
